4M€ revenue with Heeros PSA: Superstar Agency prioritized project management

Superstar Agency Oy, a Finnish entertainment agency specializing in representing top-tier local artists, was founded in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remarkably, within just a couple of years, they managed to grow their revenue from zero to four million euros.

Navigating a pandemic in the events industry might not sound like a winning ticket, but Superstar Agency had a recipe for success: a fresh concept in Finland where artists and businesses cross, a sprinkle of luck, and a deep understanding - gained through years of experience - of the importance of a business management system.

Heeros PSA has been in use since day 1 in the company—or, in fact, even before that.

In 2020, Superstar Agency's founder and CEO, Petri Roivainen, noticed that booking artists for company events in Finland was challenging, despite companies having a desire to organize events featuring top-notch performers.

"Each artist had their own contacts, and sometimes it was difficult to find their information. There wasn't a player in the market operating as professionally and efficiently as we envisioned."

Roivainen and Superstar Agency seized this opportunity.

First things first: PSA was selected prior to the company having a name

The extensive 25 years of experience shone through right from the start, as the decision was made to opt for a business management system even before the company had a name.

"Effective project management is essential in this type of business, so we needed a tool for it right from the start. Keeping project information up to date requires more than tally counting or Excel," says Roivainen.

Superstar Agency had a need for a system that is easy to implement, allowing seamless management and tracking of projects as well as invoicing. Heeros PSA stood out positively from competitors and has been the company's operational management system from the beginning.

"From experience, I know that customizing an ERP system takes a lot of time and resources, and that wasn't something we wanted or could afford. We wanted to start with a simple view and expand features as needed. Heeros PSA was user-friendly and easy to use compared to other systems."

Hundreds of projects per year – Systems need to be easy to use

For Superstar Agency, every event is a project. Despite the inherently dynamic nature of the event industry, we can see from the staggering growth rate that Superstar Agency manages a significant number of projects – with 750 B2B events in its first operational year alone. Heeros PSA is thus in daily and extensive use, serving as the primary tool for the entire team. In this case, user-friendliness is integral.

At Superstar Agency, the same person is responsible for a project from sales to execution to avoid information gaps. However, all the information is in PSA, so if necessary, a colleague can easily take over a project.

"We found it easy to create projects in Heeros PSA, down to the details of the event, and to estimate revenue," says Roivainen. "We also customized PSA to have our own event day view, which helps manage that particular day when a lot is happening, and the entire project culminates."

High-volume invoicing needs to happen smoothly

Superstar Agency's billing volume is also significant due to the number of projects. When a project is created in Heeros PSA, an advance invoice is sent to the customer simultaneously. The remaining amount is billed after the event. Therefore, two invoices are created and sent for each project.

Roivainen notes that this approach is not common in the industry but works well for them and is successfully managed with Heeros PSA's invoicing feature. It also effortlessly handles two different VAT rates — for the performer and Superstar Agency — in the same invoice.

"Effortless invoicing is crucial for us. On one hand, we want to ensure that invoices are sent reliably and on time, but we also want to ensure that artists' fees and other expenses are always taken care of promptly. We want to take good care of both our clients and our artists," says Roivainen.

Superstar Agency's invoicing isn't separate from other financial management either. Through integrations, they ensure a seamless transfer of data from Heeros PSA to Procountor software and the accounting firm. Manual work is kept to a minimum, and, as Roivainen puts it "it's smooth sailing through every phase."

From projects to cash flow – A comprehensive overview in a single glance

In the ever-changing world of the event business, predicting and keeping tabs on cash flow is essential.

"We're always tracking the quotation database and project statuses in PSA. I can quickly see the situation for this or the next month, how many events are in progress, and how many euros are on the table. With Heeros PSA, I get an understanding of the company's financial health in a single glance," explains Roivainen.

When the most critical aspects of business are handled within a single system, the current status is always easily available. According to Roivainen, with this the most important thing for management is achieved. That is peace of mind.

Towards continuous profitable growth and top-notch experiences empowered by a scalable tool

Superstar Agency's goal is to further increase the awareness of the company and fulfill its manifesto by becoming the best modern entertainment agency. The functionalities of Heeros PSA are scaled alongside growth, as has been done from the very beginning.

As a seasoned professional in the industry, Roivainen notes that many startups, especially in the early stages, often are afraid of tools. "There's a perception that adopting something new is difficult and time-consuming, but that's not the case. Learning Heeros PSA doesn't require much, and the system is easy-to-use compared to others."

"Heeros PSA is easy to implement even in a small environment, and it can be scaled with growth," summarizes Roivainen.